The Lead Guitarist //Reggie Peters

Chapter 24: Home Gig

Ok, I first just want to say thank you for 5.2k reads on this story! It means a lot to me. Anyway, I'm thinking of double-posting today, so...yay! Anyway, back to the story. 

Ash's POV* 

Julie and I walked up the pathway to the house in silence, Ray following behind us. "Julie, Ash. We need to talk." Ray said to the two of us as Julie and I both sighed, knowing this was coming; we stopped walking as we turned to face Ray. "So, Julie...after skipping school and missing a test, you decided to sneak out like Ash does even though I told you to go to your room and study?" Ray questioned as Julie looked down but I looked up at him.

"Wait, how'd you know that?" I asked Ray as he just looked at me.

"You're not the sneakiest person in the world, Ashley." he told me as I sighed.

"We're sorry." Julie and I then said at the same time to Ray.

"Yea, you two keep saying that. If you'd just...let me in, I could've been excited about tonight instead of having this conversation we all hate." Ray then said to us as Julie and I looked at him. "Why didn't you guys tell me you two were in a band?" he then asked us.

"It just happened so fast. These last few weeks have changed our lives. When Julie and I play music, we both feel so much closer to our parents." I then shortly explained to Ray as Julie nodded.

"And I love that. You girls know I do. But your Tia is right. School needs to come first." Ray then told me and Julie as I sighed, nodding.

"I know, but without the band and Ash, I would've never made it back into the music program. They played with me when I was trying to earn back my spot." Julie pointed out as Ray looked at her.

"They did?" Ray asked her as Julie and I both nodded.

"I think this is our thing, Dad." Julie responded as he sighed.

"Well...I'd be a jerk of a dad if I took that away from you two. Look, if you're both gonna stay in this band, you both need to keep up with school, and you need to keep me in the loop." Ray then told Julie and me as we both nodded, ok with that.

"Really?" I asked him, smiling as he smiled back, nodding.

"Thanks, Papa!" Julie exclaimed as the two of us hugged Ray and he immediately hugged back.

"Hey, so that lady at your show, she was, like, some sort of manager, right? Could've been a big deal." Ray then asked as the three of us ended the hug.

"Who knows? Hopefully, Andi will be able to see us play again." I then said as Julie nodded.

"Which we will tell you about." Julie added as I nodded.

"Oh. Yea, you two will cause if I ever catch you two trying to sneak out again, or if your grades slip, I'm gonna pull the plug." Ray then told us as we both nodded, understanding. "Or whatever it is that makes those holograms work." He added as Julie and I both chuckled. "Do I ever get to meet these guys?" he then asked as I shook my head.

"Probably not. They don't even live here. It's kind of confusing, but long story short: they live a long way away and we stream them here via hologram." I then said to Ray, lying about the hologram streaming part as Julie just nodding, going along with what I was saying.

"Being seen really isn't their thing." Julie added.

"You kids and technology. It's...definitely beyond me." Ray stated, chuckling.